"THW" wrote in message
...
They say that we will need an invisible fence to contain her
(not an issue since that was our plan anyway), but my questions to the
group
a will such a dog likely be hyper, and what is it like living with a
fence jumper?

An invisible fence, or a real 4' or higher fence? (FWIW, I wouldn't have
an invisible fence, mainly because our fence is more to keep other
critters--ie. stray dogs & wildlife--OUT, than it is to keep our dogs in).
Both of my dogs could potentially be labeled "hyper" (they are
both incredibly active breeds/breed-mixes). However, one of my
favorites sayings is, "A tired dog is a good dog!" Meaning, they
get a LOT of exercise, both mentally & physically. And, they are
herding breeds/breed-mixes, which generally have a tendance to
stick around, not be runners/bolters/adventurers (there are ALWAYS
exceptions to the rule, however! Our rescue GSD was a
talented escape artist. She did not jump the fence, but literally pushed
her way into a few of the boards enough times so that they
became loose & she could get loose. Once she figured out how to
do it, she tried it everywhere on the fence. She had a pretty high
prey drive, and liked to go try to chase/kill small critters--squirrel,
bunnies & the like).
But, I've not seen a lot of correlation between "hyper" and fence-jumping.
Moreso a correlation between higher prey drive and fence-jumping/
escaping.

Will the dog outgrow fence jumping, and how do you visit
people and/or can you easily find dog-sitters/kennels that can deal with
this problem if you need to go away?


Outgrowing, I don't know. More than likely, you will need to
exercise, interact and supervise the dog enough so that it isn't
allowed the chance to escape. I know the vet clinic where I work
also has dog boarding, we have a few "escapees" that come and
(knock on wood!) haven't had any issues. Many professional
places are set up with double and triple door situations, where if
one door is open & the dog escapes, it is stopped by the next.
Most likely, that is something you'd have to ask around with
sitters/kennels.

We also located another setter in an SPCA shelter that seems sweet but is
so
thin (and has been that way for over a month) that we are worried that it
is
hard to judge her disposition and we worry about long term health issues.
Any advice?

Potentially...but also keep in mind that if a dog has been in a stressful
situation for a long period of time (and over a month would certainly
be included), it's body also deals with stress. Weight loss, poor coat,
hyperactivity (and sulleness in some individuals) can all be signs of
a stressed out dog. I know that one of my dogs used to not
be a very good eater when he is boarded, particularly because he
would get very stressed out while being there (and we've never
boarded them over a week). The last time he was boarded, he
went to his agility instructors, where he was interacted with on
a regular basis, exercised and played with, and he ate well.

Good luck in your searches.
Shelly & The Boys:
Coda (Collie-somethin')
Bodhi (Belgian Sheepdog)